A Galilean Vision of Christianity - Alfred North Whitehead

Recently, while reading The Emergent Christ by Franciscan sister Ilia Delio I came across multiple references to Process Philosophy and Process Theology that was developed by Alfred North Whitehead. I knew nothing about them. So, I started doing a little reading.

I learned that Whitehead was not a Christian, but his Process Theology has attracted many Christian theologians.

Because Whitehead is hard to understand I borrowed from the library A Key to Whitehead's Process and Reality by Donald W. Sherburne. Thumbing through the book, I found an interesting assessment of western religion. Whitehead states that there are three schools of Christian thought that "can be associated with the divine Caesars, the Hebrew prophets, and Aristotle." According to Whitehead, these three approaches have been combined over the centuries in various ways. However, he says there is another way.

"There is ... in the Galilean origin of Christianity, yet another suggestion which does not fit in very well.... It does not emphasize the ruling Caesar, or the ruthless moralist, or the unmoved mover. It dwells upon the tender elements in the world, which slowly and in quietness operate by love, and it finds purpose in the present immediacy of a kingdom not of this world. Love neither rules, nor is it unmoved; also it is a little oblivious as to morals. It does not look to the future; for it finds its own reward in the immediate present." (This quote can be found on pages 342 - 343 of Process and Reality or 178 - 179 of Sherburne's book.)

It seems to me that Galilean Christianity is what being a Franciscan is all about.

Even with Sherbune's book, Whitehead's metaphysics was difficult for me to grasp. Here are three college level lectures delivered by the late Arthur F. Holmes, a professor at Wheaton College, that helped me.  Each lecture is about 60 minutes long.

A History of Philosophy | 61 Whitehead's Process Philosophy

A History of Philosophy | 62 Whitehead and Process Theology

A History of Philosophy | 63 Whitehead's "Science and Modern World"

A History of Philosophy | 64 American Pragmatism (Ten minute summary of Whitehead)

Gerard Manley Hopkins - A Poet for Franciscans

Every Franciscan should be familiar with the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins. However, he is not an easy poet to understand. This lecture by Steve Ayers is an outstanding introduction to Hopkins. It is just over 60 minutes long. It is well worth the investment of time.

Hopkin's poems and commentaries about his poetry can be found on the Poetry Foundation website and on the SparkNotes website.

There are lots of audio recordings of Hopkin's poetry on YouTube. Hopkin's poetry should be listened to, not silently read. Enjoy.

St Francis of Assisi with Deacon Keith Fournier

Here is a great video about the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Check it out. It is about 10 minutes long. You won't be disappointed.

Exploring the Christian Dimension of Servant Leadership

Here is the presentation on Servant Leadership that I mentioned in an earlier blog post. It is a good overview. It is certainly not the last word on the subject. However, it reflects my current knowledge. I consider it to be a primer, i.e., a small introduction. Feel free to share it with others.

 

Exploring Servant Leadership

I have been thinking about and researching servant leadership for some time. I am working on a slide deck that will I trace the history of the concept through time. It should be done soon and when it is complete I will post it on this blog. It is easy to make a connection to Saint Francis and St. Clare.

Why We Need the Golden Rule

In his writings, St. Francis of Assisi quoted the Golden Rule on several occasions. Learn more about it in this blog post.

According to Harry Gensler, Ph.D., "The Golden Rule, with roots in a wide range of world cultures, is well suited to be a standard that different cultures can appeal to in resolving conflicts. As the world becomes more and more a single interacting global community, the need for such a common standard is becoming more urgent."

Check out Professor Gensler's website to learn more about The Golden Rule.

Catholic Theological Union's Series on Laudato Si'

Catholic Theological Union's 'On Care for Our Common Home Series' gives insight into 'Laudato Si' through select passages which illuminate the appeal from Pope Francis addressed to "every person living on this planet."

The series features nine CTU faculty members giving short reflections on selected passages from the encyclical. The series was designed for use by parish groups and other discussion gatherings, and for personal reflection. A Study Guide is available. 

Check out the series: http://learn.ctu.edu/common-home

For Up To Now (FUN) Manual for Secular Franciscans

The FUN Manual is an excellent formation resource for Secular Franciscans. The original version was published in May 2011. Our fraternity was given a three-ring binder that contained the manual. Please note, there have been some revisions since the original was published. Learn more.

As the director of formation for my fraternity, I use the 460-page FUN Manual as a resource document. You can use it, too.

For example, for a quick overview of Franciscan spirituality take a look at pages 314-315 of the pdf.

If you need a refresher on who is actually leading the formation process, see page 28 of the pdf.

If you need a visual representation of the stages of formation, see page 33 of the pdf.

"Let us remember the Golden Rule" -- Pope Francis

The Golden Rule is an important ethical principle. In an earlier blog post, I established a connection between the Golden Rule and St Francis of Assisi.

A reference to the Golden Rule always capture my attention, especially when it's the pope who is referring to it.

Pope Francis' historic speech to Congress on September 24, 2015 referenced the Golden Rule. Here is what he said about it.

"Let us remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt 7:12).

This Rule points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us. The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development."

Retreat Opportunity: Pope Francis On Care of Our Common Home

Saturday, June 4, 2016
Oldenburg Franciscan Center
Oldenburg, Indiana

9:30 am to 2:30 pm
$45 includes lunch


Retreat Facilitators:
S. Donna Graham, OSF
S. Olga Wittekind, OSF

Participants will reflect on the pastoral letter of Pope Francis, Laudato Si' On Care of Our Common Home, looking at the challenge it presents to us to: recognize the sacredness of the natural world, see the impact of its destruction on the poor and learn to do our part for its protection. Participants will see how St. Francis is a model for us in our time.

Retreat Option: Come Friday night to see the movie Journey of the Universe and stay overnight. $80 for the package.

Register at oldenburgfranciscancenter.org
center@oldenburgosf.com
812-933-6437

Fr. Keith Hosey | Lenten Series

Sponsored by the St. Pius X Adult Education Team
All events to be held from 7-8:30 pm at St. Pius X Conference Rooms
All are welcome!

To see a PDF of the above graphic:
Lenten Series

For more information:
Diane Eltzroth (845-0740) or email bhansberry@spxparish.org

Rediscover Jesus | Best Lent Ever

I attended Mass on Christmas Eve at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in Carmel, Indiana. Upon leaving, I was given a copy of Rediscover Jesus by Matthew Kelly. It was a gift.

The book is excellent. It is very easy to read, yet thought-provoking. You can get a free copy on the DynamicCatholic.com website. There is a charge for shipping and handling.

You may want to read the book for Lent, which begins on Wednesday, February 10. Check out Best Lent Ever for daily email reminders during Lent that are connected to the book.